“I came from a very hardened punk background in the late 80’s and early 90’s and my early films really projected that. Of course there have been aspects of the more mainstream-type stuff I’m currently doing that, at first, have been difficult to navigate due to my past. But I’m learning. It’s a very rewarding process and I’m loving it.”

-Johnny Terris

Johnny Terris is one bad ass dude.

A true Renaissance man, Johnny has engaged in roles as actor, film maker, author, model, photographer and painter. Best known for his transgressive, violent punk-influenced films that were far from mainstream, even in the indie sense; Johnny would distribute his earliest on VHS in the streets of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to strangers. He even went as far to use his own blood in scenes!

Legendary for being asked to be Johnny Depp’s double in the early 90s – Johnny, in true rebel fashion, turned it down. Now he continues his work as an actor (AKA Edward Terris) in the TV miniseries “Sex & Violence”, which co-stars Academy Award winning actress, Olympia Dukakis.

The Eye of Faith is honoured to post this interview with a true pioneer of the subversively cool right here in the True North Strong and Free!

Special thanks to our correspondent John Wisniewski for the interview.

JW: When did you begin making films and and acting, Johnny?

JT: I started doing movies around 1987 when I was 14 years old. Basically out of boredom living in a small town. My cousin, who was also my best friend, would film various things typical boys would do and then just decided to make a movie one day. We were heavily influenced by retro horror and grind house style film and my work of course reflected that. I never fit in with anyone in the small town where I lived and neither did he, so doing films were an outlet for us, an expression. When I left home at 16, I became angrier and had an axe to grind with the world, so they eventually became more graphic and explicit and transgressive.

JW: Why did you decide to write an autobiographical novel?

JT: I started writing Sinister Splendor & Broken Glass back around 2002 but shelved it for many years. I originally started to write it for myself only, basically for therapeutic purposes because in 2001, the love of my life became a missing person and was never found so I thought writing about it would help with dealing with it. From there it just kind of spiraled into writing about my life from childhood, my early years on the street doing underground films and present stuff. The next thing I knew I pretty much had a book.

I compiled it together and released the first draft in 2011. It has since changed direction. Instead of an autobiography, it’s now more of a fictional character story that is set in the 1970’s and 1980’s, about a guy named Aaron, that is heavily based on my life instead of being about my life. That’s the third and final draft and the most recent one.

Nobody really knows who I am, and I’m sure most of the world wouldn’t care anyway so I decided to make it fiction that is based on me with characters based on my friends an family instead of the standard autobiography. It made it more interesting to me that way. And I think to others reading it too. The book is still my life, but the characters are different.

JW: Any artists that have influenced your work?

JT: A few artists have influenced me in big way, Richard Kern and The Cinema Of Transgression were probably the biggest influence on me in terms of my own films. Retro 70’s and 80’s horror played a huge part as well. Early Dario Argento played a huge part. Grindhouse flicks, drive-in movies form that period.

From a very young age I was really influenced by a lot of vintage heterosexual porn too like Devil In Miss Jones, Devil Inside Her, Behind The Green Door etc. All the really strange and surreal X-rated films of that period. Early John Waters of course played an influence, especially in my early work.

Musically I was, and still am, obsessed with the NWOBHM/New Wave Of British Heavy Metal from the late 70’s and early 80’s. Bands like Girlschool, Motorhead, Plasmatics/Wendy O Williams, Saxon, Turbonegro, Judas Priest, bands like that. Tight jeans, white t-shirt, spiked wristband, leather jacket wearing, sneering bands. A lot of punk-tinged heavy metal from that period. Listening to that stuff gets me in writing mode immediately.

JW: Do you enjoy acting?

JT: Yeah of course, I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it. I’m actually more comfortable in front of the camera being someone else than I am in my personal life. It’s always been that way. When I was a little kid I used to memorize scripts at the age of 9 or 10 years old and perform every character in my bedroom by myself for hours on end. Acting has always triggered something in me, as far back as I can remember.

JW: You once doubled for Johnny Depp. What was that like?

JT: I never doubled for Johnny Depp. I was asked to when I was younger and living in Los Angeles but I was moving back to Canada at the time. I wouldn’t have done it anyway. I have no desire to be another actor, or anyone other than myself.

JW: What is your opinion of Hollywood and Hollywood movies?

JT: When I first went to Hollywood it was nothing like I expected it to be. It was actually pretty grimy and trashy. The Rainbow Bar & Grill was always fun. The Whiskey was fun. I don’t have a problem with mainstream cinema or the Hollywood stuff; it’s not exactly my thing, but being older now I’m not as ferocious against it like I used to be.

I used to revolt against it in a really hardcore way. But I’m currently one of the leads in a television series with Olympia Dukakis (who is an Oscar winner) so I’ve obviously tamed a bit in the old age and don’t care about that as much haha.

Most Hollywood films are formula and neatly packed for selling purposes and because of that it’s the same stuff just rehashed over and over again with a different title, and I personally find that very boring. Hollywood is very loud and explosive and action packed. They make and market their films that way. I prefer psychological films that are slower in tone and make you think.

JW: Are you a horror film fan? Any favorite horror films, Johnny?

JT: Yeah I am a huge horror fan, I grew up on them and they are a huge influence. My mother was a huge lover of horror movies and nothing was really ever censored from me so I was watching stuff like ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ when I was just a little kid. I usually prefer the physiological ones over the gore. I have lots of favorite horror films, though my favorite one would have to be the original ‘Carrie’.

JW: Are you working on any screenplays, Johnny?

JT: Nothing really big right now, no. I’m very slowly writing a screenplay/script which is a greaser-style drama film about two brothers and their alcoholic father. But that’s a work in progress and who knows how that will evolve; too early to tell right now. I am though, currently helping a friend of mine shoot his apocalyptic style film.

Summer is at its peak, and its time to embrace the ultimate piece for the summer. . . .the Hawaiian Shirt. For some reason, this idea makes some people cringe, but over the course of this post you will see the innate beauty and wonder that is the Hawaiian Shirt.

The Case for Hawaiian Shirts really began when I was 8 years old and my mother brought home a Hawaiian shirt for me from her trip to Hawaii. I had begged her to grab me one while she was touring the islands for work. Seemed to me like the coolest thing!

It was a wicked print, nothing too crazy, pretty much an example of a classic Hawaiian shirt.

I remember my locker neighbour saying: “Whats wrong with you?”

“WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!” is what I wanted to say, but I just shrugged and laughed her aside. She didn’t even have a sense about her as she was herself wearing something completely typical of the girls in my classes around these times…

She just couldn’t appreciate it the way I did. For me, it made me feel the most ahead of the game. I was different than the rest, and that’s always a good thing. For me, there’s just no doubting a really great Hawaiian Shirt.

{Donna Reed + Montgomery Clift, “From Here to Eternity” [1953]. }

{Michael Pitt for Prada S/S 2012 by David Sims}

Lately there’s been a huge influx of Hawaiian and tropical shirts in both runway shows and magazine editorials – it seems the world is finally catching on and getting a little more in tuned with not just my drift, but the truth of the whole matter. Open up any mens fashion magazine and you will find them littered in the colourful graphics.

The case for Hawaiian and Tropical print shirts is that they are as much a classic staple in ones wardrobe as other pieces heralded as being part of our sartorial lineage.

There is plenty of mythology revolving around the the true origin of the Aloha shirt (as they are also called) that range from birth in the Philipines to the islands of Samoa. Until the early 18th century, kapa was the main currency of many islands of the South Pacific. Kapa was a simple patterned cloth found in the South Pacific made from pounding and dyeing the bark of a mulberry tree. These prints later made a splash again in the 1950s. However, it is safe to accredit much of why we still sport and wear these styles to the craftsmanship and entrepreneurial efforts of one, Musa-Shiya the Shirtmaker. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, Musa-Shiya was one of the top Japanese tailors in Honolulu, who profited from his made-to-order custom silk shirts made with colourful and bright Japanese fabrics with Western-style tailoring.

These shirts helped tourists visiting the island make that final transformation to truly being on vacation, taking it easy, and saying goodbye to the stresses of the mainland. Forget your troubles, come on be happy! Soon after other Japanese tailors were doing the same, and quickly the demand for these tailored tropical refuges only began to soar. The 1953 film, “From Here to Eternity” would pretty much seal the deal with stars such as Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, and even Frank Sinatra sporting the casual cuts of florals and tropical sunsets.

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From here on out, it pretty much has become the go-to expression of ease. Picking the right pattern is about 90% of the magic. There must be literally thousands, if not millions of different Aloha prints floating around in this world, and not all of them good. The key is equal parts colour as it is pattern – make sure both are really slamming. Compromise on this and you could really fall flat.

FIT would be another major point. So make sure it fits to your liking, or get it altered to fit your needs. Alteration is often the key to vintage, so if you haven’t already, be sure to check your local yellow pages for tailors or alterers in your neighbourhood. They will be happy to oblige, and you’d be surprised at how cheap it can be.

If you’re feeling a little more lax and party you may want to embrace some volume (think Sean Penn as Spicoli from Fast Times, or Johnny Depp in Fear & Loathing) or you can keep the cut classic and simple with a bit more of a tailored look to emulate classic stars like Clift, Sinatra, or Delon. Either way – you’re pretty much laughing …

And just in case you’re unsure, check out our pics of style stunning inspiration that ranges from the {PAST} to {PRESENT}. So take a look, and decide your {FUTURE}…it’s calling! All year round, these shirts takes you where you want to go! It’s time to declare the Hawaiian Shirt an equally valuable piece of everyone’s wardrobe.

It’s a defining piece with the magical ability to transport us from our everyday, and for those dedicated followers of fashion these pieces are definitely gaining visibility.

This is what I’m saying!

If you don’t look back, you can never go forward!

So hopefully you appreciate this menagerie of the exotic and wild! Check out The Vintage Hawaiian Shirt for more history, and a look at the web’s most impressive collection of them! Don’t be stuck staring at your everyday checks, plaids, and plain…carry on the {TRADITION} and accelerate the past!

Make sure you also check out the E.O.F. {SHOP}! We are stocking up more and more fashion forward pieces from our collected history so make sure to check it out!

The Pompadour.

We’ve been seeing a lot of these, as of late, on our virtual style quests, and find this mythic hairstyle’s history absolutely fascinating. The hair-doe characterized by its voluminous waves and carefully coiffed height was first coined in the 18th Century after French aristocrat, Madame de Pompadour – the mistress of King Louis XV. The style was later revived in the later part of the 19th Century and onward through the First World War, and became synonymous with the “Gibson Girl” ideal of beauty popularized in this era. The do became a “Do” again, in vogue, as a much tighter version of it could be seen on Hollywood movie starlets of the ’40s like Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. However, it would be the 1950s that would totally turn the style around, and have the men sporting the look. Popularized by rock stars of the day like Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, and Billy Fury, as well as actors like James Dean. The style was quickly taken up by youth culture and society’s outcasts to become a staple of counter culture style and individual beauty. From movie stars to street gangs, the style was versatile, slick, and of course, “cool”.

Bottega Veneta, 2012

The rest is history, as even today, hundreds of style obsessed and nostalgia driven guys (like ourself) pain away the day to get their hair high and enough waves to keep it up there. What do they say again? “The higher the hair, the closer to God”. In that case, we might be looking at the Tower of Babel of Hair with how popular the Pompadour is getting. Check out this latest {PHOTO-BLAST} for a one-of-a-kind blast to the past of “Pomp + Circumstance”. . .

The stars in the sky will shine bright tonight knowing that we pay tribute to one of their brightest young consorts. As we are always expressing here at The Eye of Faith, style is about the attitude, and bringing a truly individual edge that will set you apart from the rest, and the +STYLE STAR+ we have chosen this week invokes all these attributes and more.

JJ Reyes is a talented style savant from Seville, Spain, showcasing his passion for things fashion on his personal style blog El Principe Gitano. On top of JJ’s ultra rad and sophisticated take on style, his site is a beautiful escape to some of Spain’s most iconic and beautiful landmarks.

This handsome Gypsy Prince took the time to let us pick his brain on his unique style, the things he loves most, and the future seen through his most exceptional and unique eye!

First, a bit of an introduction to yourself. What is your name, and what do you do?

My name is JJ Reyes, I am studying Advertising & PR in Seville (Spain), where I live. I have a fashion blog titled ‘The Gypsy Prince’ (http://www.elprincipegitano.com) that I opened a year ago. It has more than 50.000 visits, with the intention of sharing a virtual space to show my ambitions, concerns, places, pleasures and even the people who usually are next to me.

I am in love with everything about fashion and trends, a passion I show weekly on the blog through my different looks. I am also working as a DJ and model.

What would be your earliest fashion memory, and has it played a part in leading you to your fashion future?

I don’t think I will ever give an answer to this question, since I have no clear memory of fashion in my childhood. However, I can assure you it wasn’t until 14 years old when I began to focus my attention on fashion, which led me to an evident change of style in my early teen years.

When you wake up in the morning, what thoughts go through your mind while picking out your outfit for the day?

I always have in mind a specific garment that I want to wear, just that one. The other garments that go with it appears in my mind while I am standing in front of the closet. Obviously, the weather is an important element when I am choosing what I’m going to wear.

Do you have any go-to inspirations or style idols you look up to in your own style?

I don’t. I just want to have something from these three groups: 90s, Bloggers and Disney. I want the camera equipment of Chiara Ferragni, I want Pocahontas’ black long hair and I also want to make love to 90’s Kate Moss and Johnny Depp couple. I really think that my own style is the mix of random elements that apparently have no sense together to create the perfect look.

What has been your most important lesson in life when it comes to your own personal brand of style?

Biggest lesson in fashion life is undoubtedly swimming at the middle. The best thing is to stay there, between austerity and excess.

Where are your favourite go-to spots to go for killer fashion and style?

I am a big fan of Spanish brand ZARA. It gets to you every single huge prèt-a-porter trend from the catwalk to their worldwide stores.

You’re walking down the street and stumble upon a time portal that will take you anywhere you want to go in the history of time. Where do you decide to take it, and why?

90s. I want to make love to Kate Moss and Johnny Deep couple.

Here’s a fun one. You’ve accidentally conjured up an angry spirit who won’t get the hell out of your closet. You want to call the cops, but you know they won’t believe you so you pull out your exorcism kit and go to work. What is the one thing you are hoping to save from your wardrobe?

Doc Martens boots, I can’t live without them.

What is the worst fashion advice you’ve ever heard or been given?

The worst fashion advice is when your friend is tired of shopping with you and put on her “It’s okay, it fits you well’’ face when you are trying some clothes, because all that she wants is you to buy those fucking jeans so she can leave the store.

Any thoughts of the future of mens fashion and/or fashion in general, through the eyes of J.J. ?

Skirts. A Texas conservative man wearing a Givenchy skirt, that could be a great accomplishment for men’s fashion industry in the future.

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And wouldn’t that be a sight for sore eyes . . .

Thanks so much to JJ Reyes for taking the time to sit down with {theEye}, only at The Eye of Faith!

The Case for Hawaiian Shirts really began when I was 8 years old and my mother brought home a Hawaiian shirt for me from her trip to Hawaii. I had begged her to grab me one while she was touring the islands for work. Seemed to me like the coolest thing!

It was a wicked print, nothing too crazy, pretty much an example of a classic Hawaiian shirt.

I remember my locker neighbour saying: “Whats wrong with you?”

“WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!” is what I wanted to say, but I just shrugged and laughed her aside. She didn’t even have a sense about her as she was herself wearing something completely typical of the girls in my classes around these times…

She just couldn’t appreciate it the way I did. For me, it made me feel the most ahead of the game. I was different than the rest, and that’s always a good thing. For me, there’s just no doubting a really great Hawaiian Shirt.

{Donna Reed + Montgomery Clift, “From Here to Eternity” [1953]. }

{Michael Pitt for Prada S/S 2012 by David Sims}

Lately there’s been a huge influx of Hawaiian and tropical shirts in both runway shows and magazine editorials – it seems the world is finally catching on and getting a little more in tuned with not just my drift, but the truth of the whole matter.

The case for Hawaiian and Tropical print shirts is that they are as much a classic staple in ones wardrobe as other pieces heralded as being part of our sartorial lineage.

There is plenty of mythology revolving around the the true origin of the Aloha shirt (as they are also called) that range from birth in the Philipines to the islands of Samoa.

Until the early 18th century, kapa was the main currency of many islands of the South Pacific. Kapa was a simple patterned cloth found in the South Pacific made from pounding and dyeing the bark of a mulberry tree. These prints later made a splash again in the 1950s.

However, it is safe to accredit much of why we still sport and wear these styles to the craftsmanship and entrepreneurial efforts of one, Musa-Shiya the Shirtmaker. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, Musa-Shiya was one of the top Japanese tailors in Honolulu, who profited from his made-to-order custom silk shirts made with colourful and bright Japanese fabrics with Western-style tailoring.

These shirts helped tourists visiting the island make that final transformation to truly being on vacation, taking it easy, and saying goodbye to the stresses of the mainland. Forget your troubles, come on be happy!

Soon after other Japanese tailors were doing the same, and quickly the demand for these tailored tropical refuges only began to soar. The 1953 film, “From Here to Eternity” would pretty much seal the deal with stars such as Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, and even Frank Sinatra sporting the casual cuts of florals and tropical sunsets.

+ + +

From here on out, it pretty much has become the go-to expression of ease. Picking the right pattern is about 90% of the magic. There must be literally thousands, if not millions of different Aloha prints floating around in this world, and not all of them good. The key is equal parts colour as it is pattern – make sure both are really slamming. Compromise on this and you could really fall flat.

FIT would be another major point. So make sure it fits to your liking. If you’re feeling a little more lax and party you may want to embrace some volume (think Sean Penn as Spicoli from Fast Times, or Johnny Depp in Fear & Loathing) or you can keep the cut classic and simple with a bit more of a tailored look to emulate classic stars like Clift, Sinatra, or Delon. Either way – you’re pretty much laughing …

And just in case you’re unsure, check out our pics of style stunning inspiration that ranges from the {PAST} to {PRESENT}. So take a look, and decide your {FUTURE}…it’s calling!

All year round, these shirts takes you where you want to go!

It’s time to declare the Hawaiian Shirt an equally valuable piece of everyone’s wardrobe. It’s a defining piece with the magical ability to transport us from our everyday, and for those dedicated followers of fashion these pieces are definitely gaining visibility.

This is what I’m saying! If you don’t look back, you can never go forward! So hopefully you appreciate this menagerie of the exotic and wild! Check out The Vintage Hawaiian Shirt for more history, and a look at the web’s most impressive collection of them!

Don’t be stuck staring at your everyday checks, plaids, and plain…carry on the {TRADITION} and accelerate the past!

Take a look at some of the pieces in the +SHOP+ that can help you bring this look to life!

A great track to keep you in the ghoulish mood, as Halloween’s Eve inches ever nearer. Tonight we’ll be Ghost Hunting on Toronto Island and we wish we could bring you all along. We’ll have to remain dancing in our dreams with you, as Frankensteins shackles ring out a tune.

The Hollywood Flames were an American R&B Vocal group formed in the late 40s, during a high school talent show. They would go on to perform through the span of the 50s whilst rotating members and band names. Their most famous singing would be “Buzz Buzz Buzz”, later featured on the 2001 “Blow” Soundtrack.

Here at The Eye of Faith we do much musing over things that shock and fascinate the mind, soul, and spirit. We, like many, love to get down to the deep, dark, and dirty of life for a far richer experience.

As you probably know, our taste for movies is definitely no exception. Best of all, as you skim through the catalog of the past, not only might you find something surprising or of interest to your mind, body, and spirit, but you have an opportunity to surf the waves of the past.

Whether it is on your T.V., or on this shining bright computer screen, with the click of a button you can travel through time and visit remarkable new worlds…This you must already know, and perhaps this is what has brought you here. Well, we have devised a treat for you (no surprises)…

The past week we have been diving head first into the wicked world of well, the wicked. While the world is often milling over the heroes we meet in the movies, we thought it was only appropriate for us to showcase the undeniable efforts of the deluded, damned, violent, brewing with evil, cruel and candid characters who without we wouldn’t be having half as much fun…

So despite their shortcomings, we can’t help but uphold these characters for their undeniable style sense when it comes to getting dressed. If society can’t stop them from killing, you better believe it isn’t going to stop them from looking damn cool while doing it.

Enjoy this virtuoso of style inspiration dedicated to

Cinema’s 13 Most Stylish Villains!

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13. The Joker from “THE DARK KNIGHT”

Purple Blazer. Need I say more? With a penchant for bold color choices, and a seriously sick sensibility for mixing pattern, The Joker kicks off the list.

Looking at his outfit head to toe, one is impressed by his attention to fit, along with an impressive full piece suit complete with green vest, blazer, and that purple overcoat. Finishing it off with a dandy pair of leather gloves in purple to match, I’d say The Joker must be one serious style aficionado in his spare time, as he’s right ahead of the trend with his acid colored hair.

However, there’s no doubt he’s taken the male makeup trend just a bit too far. I’ll admit it’s hard to stop once you start going at it, but to take it that far is going to cost quite a bit of money in the long run. Then again, maybe that’s why he needs to rob those banks. It’s all making sense now…

12. Amon Goeth from “SCHINDLER’S LIST”

Amon Goeth takes the word sociopath to a completely new level. Ralph Fiennes portrayed the evil Nazi commander in the film completely captured the vain, erratic, and narcissistic Goeth in one of film history’s greatest performances.

Snapping at close to anything, there’s no getting on this villain’s bad side. Perhaps one of the cruelest characters you will ever see, Goeth is poised,slick, and above-all, evil.

Military is always in style, and while the Nazi party didn’t really have a knack for other people, they really clean up well and have an insatiable attention to detail. His obsessive compulsiveness makes him strive for his own perfection.

While his actions are downright criminal, his sense of style could only be described as having that killer instinct.

You really can’t fault Sweeney Todd. Other than his insatiable thirst for revenge, and extreme tendency for murder he really is one helluva guy!

After all, before developing his criminal reputation he was the finest barber in London, which today would make him kind of an urban rock star of sorts. Just add a full tattoo sleeve, and you could totally picture it! Indeed – he is but a Victorian hipster with a grudge against “The Man”, but who isn’t?

Mr. Todd sports some wicked looks throughout the film, like his classic striped slim leg trousers, leather razor blade buckle, canvas button up, and distressed corduroy vest with some serious scarf action; the kind that looks simple, but you know took at least a few minutes…

Can’t forget to mention his leather trench. The trench of trenches. Every guy should have a nice distressed brown leather trench, simple as that. Even if only because Sweeney Todd has one; because you know he’s gonna slit your throat if you piss him off somehow . . .

10. Frank Booth from “BLUE VELVET”

So Frank Booth is crazy….So what?! Even with all his issues he manages to make it out of the house dressed to impress. And if a schizophrenic maniac can do it, we all should be able to.

We love the black leather blazer with striped shirt ensemble. Notice the cool metal detail on the collar of that shirt, plus one of today’s biggest crazes – the bolo tie. He’s definitely doing it up bad. All it takes is having some great blazers on hand and the shirts to compliment them, and you’re well on your way. Make sure to pay attention to texture and pattern – mix them, but don’t let one or the other take away – instead let them sing…together.

Frank’s style can be perfectly summed up in his famous quote: “Heineken? Fuck that shit! PABST. BLUE. RIBBON!!!” …in other words, he doesn’t need anything fancy, just keep it simple. That’s what Frank would want. So just keep it simple, classic, and true….like Frank.

9. Charlie Rakes from “LAWLESS”

I don’t think there’s ever been a creepier and outrageously ghastly character who is as finely dressed as Mr. Charlie Rakes from this year’s Lawless.

Rakes’ city sensibilities are easily spotted in the rural Virginia backdrop, and it is his dapper and proper demeanor which completely characterize the level of this nut job’s craziness!

For the film, costume designer Margot Wilson had different leather gloves specifically made for each new scene. His suits are approachable and classic and display an innate sensibility to style. Being from Chicago, he must have spent many afternoons perusing the department stores and pampering his wallet.

But what has everyone talking is the now infamous plucked brow that Guy Pearce put himself through to play the character, as well as the shaved part in his head. Meticulously Charlie Rakes has plucked each and every hair on his brow, while shaving a large line down the middle of his head. Is this a branding experiment gone wrong? Vanity Insanity?

You can’t help but question it, and whatever it is, it makes for a truly terrifying character that makes it easy to question his humanity.

8. Alex De Large from “A CLOCKWORK ORANGE”

Inhabiting a strange fantasy dystopia imagined with a vivid psychedelic futurism that could have only been developed as a product of its time, the film has inspired and influenced millions of style enthusiasts in the worlds of fashion, film, interior design, and the millions of Halloween costumes worn around the world every year.

Alex De Large resonates because he isn’t really a mainstream trend follower in any sense. Instead, him and his anti-establishment friends mix and match cool vintage pieces in a strict all white combination (that’s called edgy). Their canes and top hats allude to the upper crust, while their army boots and famous codpieces say they’re strictly at war. And the fake eyelash? Just another touch of sinister to round the whole thing out.

Belonging to a discreet underground society, these avant-garde style choices are no surprise. Sometimes style is the best way to get your point across, and Mr. De Large definitely proves that!

7. Alex Forrest from “FATAL ATTRACTION”

Our first femme fatale on the list! Alex Forrest is one of those characters who will forever haunt and permeate the public consciousness for her direct approach at dealing with the heartaches and breaks of being the other woman in an affair.

Set in the 1980s, Alex quickly seduces with her vivacious attitude which is perfectly matched by some equally vivacious hair (so vivacious, that even if she didn’t have that attitude, you’d still mistake her for the most vivacious lady in the room). Big hair which takes plenty of work, and forethought.

And since she’s gone through all that pain for beauty, her minimalist looks in black or white not only characterize her unstable persona, but her sophisticated downtown coolness. She’s one of those women who just always know – they have the best tastes, and know how to pair it down to let their personality shine.

Unfortunately, her good intentions always seem to get overshadowed by violent outbursts spawned by jealous rage. Nobody’s perfect.

6. Ravenna from “SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN”

When it comes to violent outbursts spawned by jealous rage, not many people do it better than Alex Forrest – until she met Ravenna, the most recent incarnation of the evil queen from Snow White, in “Snow White and the Huntsman”.

Brilliantly portrayed by Charlize Theron, the character’s sense of style is a beautiful and grotesque exploration of the character. With gowns made from beetles, birds bones, skulls, feathers, leathers, suede, and fur- it makes you wonder how many animals let alone people has this lady really killed to get herself looking so good!

So if you can’t give her credit for being a nice girl, the least we can do is say she’s got a great way of feeling fine. A little over the top and gloomy, but someone’s got to do it…

5. Cruella De Vil from “101 DALMATIONS”

For many, Cruella De Vil hits far too close to home. A sinister and corrupt fashion magnate with an addiction to fur, Cruella De Vil is near flabbergasting for her plot to kidnap and murder 101 innocent dalmatian puppies to make the perfect fur coat (they don’t call her Cruella De Vil for nothing).

We’ll give it to her though, and despite her cruelty towards animals, her pure love for fashion simply cannot be ignored. A true sophisticate propelled by vanity, Cruella showcases style choices that compliment her slender fashion figure while taking style to higher heights in all levels. She is a style maven who touches base on all elements of her wardrobe. There also isn’t a better example of how to rock white hair and truly make it a statement.

Perhaps she was just ahead of her time, after all, many fashion gurus of today are calling for furs on the racks and runways everywhere.

4. Phyllis Dietrichson from “DOUBLE INDEMNITY”

The slinky sultry styles of true noir femme fatale Phyllis Dietrichson just couldn’t be ignored for this list. Sure she doesn’t personally kill anybody, and she isn’t necessarily your typical movie monster but it is through her careful manipulation she is able to convince a naive insurance man into her diabolical plot to murder her husband.

With movie star good looks (provided by true movie star, Barbara Stanwyck), Phyllis is a character whose style is of utmost importance to pulling off her plan. It is only through temptation and her quick wit that she is able to get her way, and with an impeccable wardrobe to show herself off in, it really doesn’t hurt.

Phyllis displays confidence in skirts, blazers, tight sweaters, slinky robes, and voluminous blouses, as well as a stylish pair of shades many had mistaken for something only of the future.

So, does Phyllis Dietrichson express killer style? Most definitely!

3. Patrick Bateman from “AMERICAN PSYCHO”

Patrick Bateman is another character you really can’t leave out in a discussion of villains with style. In fact, you could argue style as one of Patrick Bateman’s only redeeming qualities. After all, it is something he completely obsesses over (when he’s not obsessing over sex and murder).

Bateman is the iconoclastic image of Wall Street in the 80s – smart, slim, and slick, but also vicious, soulless, and full of schizophrenic rage.

Patrick is fully up to date with every new gadget, gizmo, and luxury designer garment on the market. With a low attention span, he is constantly refueling his psychopathic need for the best, paired with a beauty regiment that rivals Joan Crawford, and a constantly growing bank account, it’s no wonder Patrick Bateman is that All-American ideal – that guy you still find on the pages of Esquire and GQ. Perfect suit. Perfect tie. Perfect hair. Perfect smile. Perfect everything- and it’s all really expensive.

When you take this in, the story really begins; it’s like they say “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”…2. Count Dracula from “BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA”

Indeed, this Prince of Darkness is far cry from the classic vampire in popular culture. This Dracula trades his black cape for an epic blood red silk overcoat with oriental details embroidered in gold threads, and his signature tuxedo is a lusciously luruxious silvery taupe day suit complete with cane and top hat. This is the devilishly dapper demon we have come to know and love.

Taking influence from the art scene of the time, Dracula reworks these inspirations into beautiful clothes turned works of art that make a solid armor from bare flesh, or bring a painting by Klimt to life.

It is this studied and fearless dedicated to style, both classic and artful, and the balance between the two, that make Count Dracula signature to villains who have a supernatural knack for getting dressed in the morning.

1. Baby Jane Hudson from “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?”

Our number one most stylish villain of all time might come as a surprise for many, but fashion has been musing over this deadly diva for a while now, and it’s time her one-of-a-kind sensibilities get brought to the forefront!

Clad in silk, chiffon, laces, tulle, and ribbons, Baby Jane Hudson is one of those characters who found herself early in life, and sticks to what she knows best. Not that this is a detriment at all, if anything it shows a strong sense of self, and an early inclination towards beautiful textiles and fabrics.

The lesson to be learned from Baby Jane Hudson is having confidence and conviction (something Baby Jane never lost throughout her life, in fact, it might have been the only thing holding her together). Vintage items are made uniquely her own by her lackadaisical approach to wearing her beautifully feminine and opulent pieces that are now a bit dusty and tattered. I hate to say it, but Baby Jane Hudson is kind of a rock star!

Publications like Italian Vogue and Elle have been musing with the classic tale, while influences can be seen on the runways of Prada & Chanel. Perhaps it’s her youthful energy, or perhaps it’s her unresolved resentment towards her sister, this push and pull between having a hard edge and vital youth make the look worth while. Bold make up choices on her part are also greatly appreciated.

So don’t be afraid that lace and ribbon will make you seem weak, if you can pull it off like Baby Jane does, well you might just have a killer look on your hand. And with that, I’m sure Baby Jane would be happy to know that she takes the title of Cinema’s Most Stylish Villain with honor and respect.

My guess is she’s written a letter to daddy…

{HONORABLE MENTIONS:Norma Desmond from “Sunset Boulevard”

Roy Batty from “Blade Runner”

The Heathers from “Heathers”

Nancy Downs from “The Craft”

Bill “The Butcher” Cutting from “Gangs of New York”}

Share this with you friends, and let us know if you have any favorite fashion film fiends of your own! Leave a comment below.

Vanity Fair does as they do with their latest list of Style’s Greatest Icons. Picking from all of Hollywood history, writer Amy Fine Collins makes a jab at finding those identities who fascinate, inspire, and continually resonate with lovers of style and fashion.

For a list of 21 of the ultimate icons of style, we’re a little let down. The list is GOOD – pretty much your usual list including Marilyn, Audrey, Lauren, and Bette, and more current stars like George Clooney and Penelope Cruz making the cut. While Marlon Brando and Jean-Paul Belmundo made the cut, I was shocked not to find James Dean pop up on the list! I mean, George Clooney and NOT James Dean??! WTF?

I could go into more wishes and wants, but I won’t. Instead, take a look for yourself at the list, and let us know what YOU think! Who would you add to the list?

I do sincerely appreciate having Carole Lombard and Charlotte Rampling make the cut, but or me the biggest surprise was Leonardo Dicaprio. He’s the youngest name on the list, and although I’ve been musing over pictures of him in the 90s, I very often forget to credit the man for his continually classic and easy way about him. While the clothes are great, it’s the devil may care approach he takes to wearing them that really make his looks sing.

That for me is the biggest sign of true deep down in the heart style. For it’s not about what you wear, it’s who’s wearing it, and more often than not, that person is you!

The thing that makes each of these people a star is their ability to project a sense of self, and be fully committed to it. In the same respect, it is their ability to lose this self at the snap of a finger that makes being a star a true craft.

The films they are in are just the backdrop. The clothes a part of the scenery. It is all inspiration, and as Amy Fine Collins notes, designers today are continuously reinventing and re imagining films of the past to realize their vision for today.

That’s why we are continually looking to the past to inspire and tell us stories. Moments of magic to reinvent. For there is a beautiful mystery to the idea of being a star, especially the leading men and starlets of Hollywood Golden Years. A certain spirit seems to take over these mere mortals the second the lights are on and the camera is rolling. In the blink of an eye, that person is made immortal through the magical alchemy of light and silver.

“Everything…was an exaggeration of history, fiction and the whole wide extraordinary world.” states legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. Sometimes there’s nothing better than a little exaggeration to get us through the day…

What’s the use of having a million lists online that tell me Audrey Hepburn is the best dressed woman there ever lived. Same goes with Grace Kelly, and Nicole Kidman (?? I mean, really??)…its 2012, after all, can’t things start to get a bit more interesting especially when it comes to our style icons…

The fashion world right now is ever changing, and in our post modern bubble, there is infinite possibility out there. There are also literally hundreds of styles being represented out there, so to always have lists of Style Icons that are the same really makes for not very much progress…

Seeing as it is 2012, I foresee great changes in the midst, especially in accord to perceptions of style. There is a younger generation of style aficionados out there, more equipped than we were ever to analyze and take on new ideas in dressing.

While the classics will also stay as such, style enthusiasts should definitely make room for finding new influences our predecessors, blinded by the flickering of celluloid, were not able to pick up on and bring these lost ideals to the forefront…

This goes for all areas of life. Don’t just blindly live your life being told what is what. Make it so by your own actions and doing. Dress the part! Be the star! Change the world! That’s the message…and for that, Vanity Fair, we must thank!

So remember, stay wise, and don’t get caught floating in the status quo.

Seems like Tim Burton’s done it again! This time, it seems he couldn’t be more at home with the Collins family, the salacious supernatural soap opera family that made its way to the Boob Tube in the mid-sixties, and then again in 1991.

Burton, who has made his entire career out of his penchant for his unique, dark and twisted fantasies all with a light-hearted edge – after all, he did get his foot in the door at Disney. Nevertheless, this tale of a vampire from the 17th Century finding himself plopped in the middle of 1970s New England seems like perfect material for Burton to work his unique magic.

And with a cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloe Moretz, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter, Jackie Earle Haley, Christopher Lee, Alice Cooper, and long-time collaborator Johnny Deppp – this one’s sure to stay with you far beyond even the grave. Also loving the vintage-inspire costumes provided by Colleen Atwood.

Check out the new HD trailer above, and mark May 1 on the calendar this one looks like a keeper.

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